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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29476182">How was Work?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bxnnyspit/pseuds/bxnnyspit'>bxnnyspit</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Green Mile (1999)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Past Sexual Assault, Percy has a soft spot for reader, Self-Indulgent</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:06:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,091</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29476182</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bxnnyspit/pseuds/bxnnyspit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which your lover, Percy Wetmore, comes home from work a little shaken up.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Percy Wetmore/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>How was Work?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a quiet, balmy evening, and you were just finishing up your cleaning around the house. Around this time, your sweetheart Percy would be coming home from his shift at Cold Mountain Penitentiary. Over his time working there,, this became a time of day you looked forward to, as you liked to hear his dramatized stories of what had happened that day. </p><p>Percy had always been just that, dramatic. A high-status pretty boy who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. You had met him in your final year of school, not thinking much of his companionship until you saw the stark contrast between how he treated you and how he treated his peers. </p><p>He had initially made the first move in speaking to you. Having grown a fondness towards you the year prior, he'd decided to track you down after summer break. You quickly took to him, often spending time with him between classes, during recess, and so on. Oftentimes he would walk you home from school had you missed the bus, an ample opportunity to talk and learn more about eachother. He didn't live too far from you, and as time went on, he'd start to pay your house a visit during the weekend. The boy made extra sure to leave a positive impression on your parents, often bringing gifts, like bouquets from his mother's garden. </p><p>As the two of you entered a relationship, you quickly realized how lucky you'd been to land on his soft side. The boy was a terror to his peers, you observed, a bully in every sense of the word. He took pride in making sure he was always on top, something you would have admired if it weren't for the fact that he brought others down to achieve his goals. For a while, you'd began to question his integrity towards you, eventually growing to trust him, as he'd never done a thing to you to warrant your mistrust. Despite your qualms about the ways he asserted his social status, you slowly came to accept his questionable ways. Over time, you felt unstoppable with him. It felt like the two of you were on top of your own little world, spending as much time as you could together, sneaking out on school nights to stay up too late drinking, kissing and talking about your future together. </p><p>Once the two of you graduated, you immediately moved in together, intending to marry as soon as you settled into the house together. This didn't come to fruition, as family emergencies got in the way, and you both took it as a sign that marriage should wait. </p><p>As you reflected, you stared out of your kitchen window, waiting for his car to pull up. "Odd," you said to yourself, "he's usually home by now." You pursed your lips, your mind instantly overflowing with worst-case scenarios, as you knew he had a very dangerous job. Turning away from the window and resting on the kitchen counter, you tried every way to justify his lateness in your head. Maybe he got caught up in traffic, you tried to reassure yourself. Just as you were about to lose your mind, you heard his car pull up. Relief washed over you as you sprinted to the door, opening it for him and excitedly watching him exit the car. Your excitement immediately subsided as soon as you saw him, his head down and his shoulders tense. Something seemed off about him, you observed as he pushed past you, not even thinking to greet you, something he'd never done before. He kicked his shoes off and immediately made his way to the bedroom, and not a word was said to you. You followed suit, gently resting against the doorframe as you watched him sit at the edge of the bed and hold his head in his hands, elbows resting on his legs. Your brow furrowed. </p><p>To put it simply, Percy didn't look like himself. His hair, which was usually neatly groomed, fell messily about his head. His eyes looked puffy, the bags under his eyes seeming a bit darker than usual as well. You slowly approached him, sitting on the bed next to him. He immediately tensed up. </p><p>"Hey." You whispered, watching with concern as Percy rubbed his face and combed his fingers through his hair. </p><p>"Hi." He replied, his voice strained. As if it wasn't already evident in his eyes, his voice made it obvious that he'd been crying. </p><p>"Is everything alright, Percy?" You asked. He licked his lips and drew in a shaky breath, thinking about whether or not he wanted to try to tell you what happened. He hated crying around you, and if he'd said anything about what he was trying to block out of his mind, he knew he would cry. </p><p>"No." He admitted. "I just need a little bit, if you don't mind." He sighed, his posture easing a bit. You nodded, adjusting yourself on the bed and sitting up a little straighter. You wanted badly to ask him what was the matter, but you didn't want to pry, especially not with how he was right now. You knew he'd ease up and talk about it later, what you were really concerned about was making sure he was alright until then. </p><p>"Do you need anything before then?" You asked, gently resting a hand on his shoulder, massaging your palm against it. He let out a hum and momentarily closed his eyes before opening them back up and turning his head towards you, staring at your face for a moment. </p><p>"Nothin' but a kiss, baby." His gaze shifted downward, cheeks flushing as if he were asking you for the first time. You put a finger under his chin, tilting it upward before leaning in and giving him a loving kiss. His hands cupped your face, and you felt him ease up as you kissed. "I'm gonna shower." He hesitated, kissing your lips one more time before pulling back. </p><p>"Okay." You said, nodding, your eyes following him as he got up and exited the room. What could possibly have happened to him on the Mile for him to come home like this? Usually he'd come back from work with a spring in his step, happy to see you and ready to tell you all about his day. Today he was the complete opposite. </p><p>Some time passed before he came back, looking a bit more ready to talk about what had happened this time. You hadn't moved from the bed since he left to shower, too lost in thought and worried about what had gone on. He took a seat next to you again, folding his hands and resting them on his lap. </p><p>"So..." you began, watching nervously as his eyes closed, bracing himself for the question. "How was work?" You asked. Percy took a deep breath before speaking. </p><p>"I don't even know where to fucking start, (y/n)." He sighed. "All I can say is that I can't fucking wait to transfer to Briar Ridge, and I can't wait for that Bill to get zapped." </p><p>"What happened?" You gently inquired, leaning towards him and resting a hand on his. "You know you can tell me anything, honey." He nodded, pursing his lips. He knew he could tell you, he just didn't know how to say it. No words could convey how he truly felt. </p><p>"Well, I was walking through the Mile, but... I'd kinda pissed everyone off by messing with Del." He trailed off, biting his lip. You felt his hands shift under yours, him then grasping your hand in both of his. "I was walking a bit too close to the cells. This would have never happened if I didn't." His eyes fluttered closed for a moment, and you saw his lashline become watery. </p><p>"I'm listening, honey." You assured, his glossy gaze momentarily meeting yours. He gently squeezed your hand and sighed. </p><p>"Could we lay down...?" He asked, pain evident in his voice. </p><p>"Of course, Percy. Whatever's more comfortable for you." You laid down on your back first, and he crawled into bed with you, resting his head on your chest. You cradled that head, chafing the back of his neck with your thumb. </p><p>"As I was saying," he continued, his face going pale as he relived the event in his head, "that fucker Wharton reached his arm out and caught me by the collar." You gasped, your heart sinking to your stomach as he said that. This could only have gotten worse. "He fucking.. he.." Percy hesitated, "he groped me. Wharton fucking molested me. Humiliated me. Whispered in my ear about wanting to fuck me. I don't know why the others didn't shoot him in the fucking head right then." His voice began to shake, tears starting to spill from his blue eyes. Your jaw dropped in shock, barely able to process what he was telling you. "He scared me so bad I pissed myself, and nobody did a fucking thing to help me. That fucker Del was laughing so hard at me, mocking me. Everyone fucking saw it, too. I bet they're all making fun of me now. I bet they're gonna fucking tell everyone-" </p><p>"Baby," you cut him off, "calm down. I'm right here." You soothed, cupping a hand around his cheek as his reddened eyes shot up to meet yours, him letting out a heavy sigh. "You know what they've told you since day one, Percy. What happens on the Mile, stays on the Mile. There's no way they're gonna tell anyone outside of maybe their wives." </p><p>"That won't stop them from joking about it to eachother behind my back." He spat, the tears still spilling down his face. Your brow furrowed. </p><p>"Percy, you were molested." You interjected. "That's no laughing matter, they'd be so beyond disgusting for joking about that. It's unprofessional." You watched him intently as he shifted in your arms, nestling his head into the crook of your neck and wrapping his arms around you. "I honestly couldn't blame you for pissing yourself, I'm sure they won't either. I can't even begin to imagine how you felt." You said, Percy beginning to break down in your arms. </p><p>"I'm just so fucking tired, (y/n). I never wanna go back there again. I never wanna have to look at Wharton ever again... hear his voice. It makes me sick just thinking about it. I can still feel how he touched me." He said through tears. "I'm so fucking scared now. I feel disgusting." He clutched your top, strangled sobs escaping his throat. </p><p>"The man's on death row for a reason." You cooed, your arms wrapping around his shoulders, gently stroking his back with one hand. "Percy, listen to me. It wasn't your fault. He's a sick bastard, in no time he's gonna be dead. Just remember that. He has no power over you if he can't grab you anymore, you're the one in charge of him." </p><p>"That's the thing... I'm afraid the boys think lesser of me now, even more than before. I let my guard down where it should have been the highest. I let Wharton take over for a moment." He bit his lip, sniffling. "I failed." </p><p>"You didn't let that fucker do shit. So you slipped up a little, now you've got that on your mind moving forward. Don't let him win, He's nothing but a dirty rapist trying to get his last hoorah before he fries. Turn that around on him, make his last days his worst." You said, voice firm, adjusting yourself and looking him in the eyes. You both laid on your sides now, facing eachother. "And I don't love you any less." You grabbed his puffy face and kissed his lips. He cheered up a bit. </p><p>"Y-you always know what to say, (y/n)." Percy half-smiled. "I don't know what I'd do without you." </p><p>"Well, don't think about that." You said, reaching down and pulling the blankets over yourselves. Percy squeezed you, smooching your forehead and resting his head against yours. </p><p>"Thank you... really. I don't think I appreciate you enough for these things." </p><p>"No need to thank me, love." You looked into his eyes, combing your fingers through his hair. "It's what I'm here for." </p><p>"Then never go away." He hummed, stroking your side. </p><p>"I'm not going anywhere." You whispered, giving him a kiss. </p><p>"Neither am I." </p><p>You both laid in bed for the rest of that night, lost in eachothers' eyes.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I shouldn't love him but I do. Hope you enjoyed!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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